Cestos City, Rivercess County – Former Public Works Minister, Madam Ruth Coker-Collins, has described as a “personal attack” and “a pure political talk” the recent statement made by the Executive Director of the National Identification Registry (NIR), Mr. Andrew Peters, who rated her performance during her tenure at the Ministry at just 5%.
Speaking to Verity News, Madam Collins dismissed the low rating as unfair and politically motivated, stating that her administration delivered critical road and infrastructure projects across Liberia despite facing serious challenges, including limited resources.
“It’s a personal attack. He is using the Ministry of Public Works as a scapegoat for political reasons,” Madam Collins said. “Under my leadership, we created jobs and implemented key road projects that benefited ordinary Liberians.”
According to her, the evaluation by Mr. Peters is not based on facts but rather stems from her continued involvement in the developmental agenda of Rivercess County. She vowed not to be distracted by such criticism, stating that her commitment to development remains strong.
Among the projects she highlighted were the Buchanan–Cestos road and the Cestos Junction–ITI stretch, which she said were major priorities under her tenure and are still being implemented today.
In a significant development, Madam Collins disclosed that the Government of Liberia has allocated $397,000 to resume work on the stalled Cestos City Street Pavement Project — a major undertaking she initiated while at the Ministry.
She urged citizens of Rivercess County to support development efforts rather than criticize them unfairly. “Cestos City deserves paved streets like every other city in Liberia,” she stressed.
Responding to concerns over project payments, Madam Collins clarified that the Ministry of Public Works does not handle funds directly. “Payments are managed by the Road Fund. The Ministry only vets contractors, supervises their work, and submits reports to the Road Fund for payment,” she explained.
The former Minister maintained that her track record speaks for itself and urged citizens to judge her based on visible results, not political opinions.
